Meeting new recruits to the Swiss Guard, Pope Francis thanked the young men for having chosen to serve the successor of St. Peter and he thanked all the guards for their diligence and service.
Vatican
At Rosary, Pope Francis Prays Resources Move From Military to Pandemic Prevention
Under the gaze of a seventh-century icon of Mary, Pope Francis launched a monthlong, global recitation of the rosary, pleading for Mary’s intercession for the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. And he prayed May 1 that Mary would move people’s consciences “so that the enormous amounts spent to increase and perfect weapons are instead used to promote research to prevent similar catastrophes in the future.”
Saying He Missed People, Pope Francis Returns to Window for Sunday Prayer
Greeting visitors in St. Peter’s Square after nearly a month of tight restrictions due to the pandemic, Pope Francis said he was happy to see people allowed to gather and be present for Sunday noonday prayer.
Vatican Begins Criminal Trial for Man Accused of Shoplifting
The Vatican’s criminal tribunal held a hearing for the crime of shoplifting from one of the storage areas in the small city-state, with the defendant denying culpability due to his psychological state at the time.
Cardinal Unveils Major Vatican Conference on Priesthood Slated for 2022
Increasing vocations to the priesthood, improving the way laypeople and priests work together and ensuring that service, not power, motivates the request for ordination are all possible outcomes of a major symposium being planned by the Vatican in February 2022.
At a COVID-Limited Easter Vigil, Pope Insists Jesus ‘Is Not Outdated’
Pope Francis said faith is not an “album of past memories” and that “Jesus is not outdated,” nor is God something that can be filed away as a childhood memory because he’s present at “every moment of our lives” on Saturday, April 3.
Pope Francis on Easter Calls for Faster, Fairer Distribution of COVID Vaccines
Pope Francis on Easter offered consolation to all those still struggling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and he urged speeding up production of COVID-19 vaccines amid global delays and ensuring they reach the poorest countries.
Pope Francis Celebrates Holy Thursday Mass With Cardinal He Fired
In a surprise move, Pope Francis on Holy Thursday celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper – one of the most sacred liturgies on the Catholic calendar – at the private apartment of Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who resigned from his post earlier this year at the pope’s direct request.
Holy Week Music Series Recorded at St. Peter’s Basilica
At a time when enjoying choir music in churches is banned almost everywhere in the world due to COVID-19 restrictions, two young German tenors recorded a series of songs inspired by Christ’s passion and his resurrection in an empty St. Peter’s Basilica, with new songs being released every day from Wednesday until Easter Sunday.
Pope Francis’ Full Homily at the Chrism Mass
The following is the full text to Pope Francis’ homily at the 2021 Chrism Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica.
